SCOFAH

Self-Clasping Overhead First Amendment Holder

(said in the cadence of SCUBA)

Hold your message up high and still use your hands!

See the SCOFAH in action

In the video, you can see that the Riser isn't even connected at both corners - because the sign wobbles when I lift it in and out. 

So when you make one of these, be sure to glue both 90° corners of the Riser!  

 ☺

The cool part is it still works!  

The Riser part slides in and out of the Backpack part

This means you can put the SCOFAH in the car on your way to the rally, event, parade, or protest. 

While you're wearing the SCOFAH you can easily reach up over your head to take out the Riser & Message Board from the Backpack if you need to walk through a door to enter buildings. The Backpack part just stays on your back.  

It is nice to have a friend help insert the Riser into the Backpack, but you can do it yourself.  The trick for that is to get one pole in first, then work the other one in (the PVC is a little bendy, so it's do-able). I show you how (sort of) in this video. Another way is to put the riser with the posters already attached into the backpack and then put the back pack on. Do so at your own risk - LOL! 

Protect Our First Amendment Rights

Vote for Democrats because you cannot hold this sign in Russia !

Watch this video of a Russian protester holding up sign saying ‘Two Words’ and she is marched away by armed police immediately!

Components of a SCOFAH 

The SCOFAH is made of these parts: 

1.   Backpack with Straps & Belt

2.   Riser

3.   Message Board

4.   Proud Democrat  (You!) and First Amendment Lover 

For a detailed list of everything see the List of Materials, Tools, and Equipment  

The Democrats are the Party of Accomplishments. Make a SCOFAH to encourage others to vote for more ACCOMPLISHMENTS. 

How the SCOFAH works

Put on the Backpack. Clip your Message Board to the Riser. 

Slide the "Riser" part inside the "Backpack" part 

The 3/4" PVC Backpack part must be made of the "thinner" 200 PSI* 3/4" PVC because the inner diameter of this 200 PSI 3/4" PVC is large enough on the inside to accommodate the 1/2" PVC Riser to slide inside the 3/4" PVC that makes up the Backpack part.

The inner diameter of the stronger 480 PSI 3/4" PVC is too narrow to hold the 1/2" PVC Riser.

The 1/2" Riser can be made of any PSI because the outer diameter (1/2") of the PVC is all that matters for the Riser part. The 315 PSI is lighter and less expensive than the 600 PSI and is sturdy enough to hold the Message Boards. 

*PSI means pounds per square inch. It is a unit of pressure. 

The second trick is the BELT MUST GO LOW AROUND YOUR HIPS - NOT around your waist. So make sure your belt is LONG enough to fasten low around your HIPS!

This allows the backback tubes to be long enough to stabilize the risers, it lowers the SCHOFAH's center of gravity, and it keeps the top bar of the backpack pressed against your shoulder blades (NOT anywhere above your shoulders, neck, or back of head). 

How to make a SCOFAH

The first trick is to make sure the "Riser" part fits inside the "Backpack" part 

The 3/4" PVC Backpack part must be made of the "thinner" 200 PSI* 3/4" PVC because the inner diameter of this 200 PSI 3/4" PVC is large enough on the inside to accommodate the 1/2" PVC Riser to slide inside the 3/4" PVC that makes up the Backpack part.

The inner diameter of the stronger 480 PSI 3/4" PVC is too narrow to hold the 1/2" PVC Riser.

The 1/2" Riser can be made of any PSI because the outer diameter (1/2") of the PVC is all that matters for the Riser part. The 315 PSI is lighter and less expensive than the 600 PSI and is sturdy enough to hold the Message Boards. 

*PSI means pounds per square inch. It is a unit of pressure. 

The second trick is the BELT MUST GO LOW AROUND YOUR HIPS - NOT around your waist. So cut your belt LONG enough to fasten low around your HIPS!

This allows the backback tubes to be long enough to stabilize the risers, it lowers the scofah's center of gravity, and it keeps the top bar of the backpack pressed against your shoulder blades (NOT anywhere above your shoulders, neck, or back of head). 

Sample on left shows the 1/2" PVC fitting into  the 200 PSI 3/4" PVC

 
Sample on the right side shows how the 1/2"  won't fit into the 480 PSI 3/4".


Materials, Tools, and Equipment 

Note: You don't need a drill unless you want to put some holes in the tops of your Riser to hold the lawn sign type metal poles (design for this option is under construction - will add pics later) 

You will need a sewing machine or access to a sewing machine for the backpack straps. If you don't have a sewing machine, you may be able to  pin the straps or hand-sew them. Or you could use a different material (t-shirt or towel) and tie or sew the straps onto the PVC.  

PVC for Backpack and Riser

Make 2 backpacks from 

Connectors for the Backpack Part

For each Backpack you need 

Connectors for the Riser Part  

For each Riser you need  

PVC Cutter - worth every penny! 

150 Grit Sandpaper (to take the writing off the PVC pipe)  and a sanding block 

Tape Measurer 

Straps for backpack straps and Belt 

Buckles  for backpack and Belt 

PVC Glue (or other strong glue) for PVC connectors  

Duct Tape 

Packing Tape  

Sharpie  

Zip-Ties - I love these Reusable Zip-Ties  

Hole Punch  (to make holes in the cardboard for the Zip-Ties to go through) 

Box Cutter (to cut the foam core and the cardboard) 

Poster Board 

Foam Core  

Some cardboard  

Glue 

Sewing Options (machine or needle & thread)

Sand off the writing on the PVC 

BEFORE

sanding off the writing 

AFTER

sanding off the writing ☺ 

For the Riser cut the 10' (ten foot) 1/2 " PVC 

in half - at the 60" mark 

Then you'll have Qty 2 of 5' (five foot) pieces.

You will need another small (12" piece) of 1/2" PVC for the top of the Riser.

For the 3/4 " PVC for 2 Backpacks, cut the 10' (ten foot) 3/4" PVC

Cut at 20" 

Cut at 40"

Cut at 50" 

Cut at 60"

Cut at 80"

Cut at 100"

Cut at 110" 

Important! Put the backpack straps on BEFORE you glue the connectors. 

Considering the size of the Message Board 

If the Message Board is 22" Tall then a 60" Riser is plenty tall for most Democrats! 

Considering the size of the Message Board 

If the sign is 28" tall, then it helps to have a taller Riser or to put some material (e.g. 1/2" PVC morsels) in the bottom of the Backpack sides to raise the Riser up as much as needed. 

Here's a closer look at a finished SCOFAH 

The note says a 65" Riser is best - but we only get 60" of 1/2" PVC when we cut the 10' (ten foot) piece in half. 

This is okay!

Because we can put a little material (like some extra 1/2" PVC) in the bottom of the Backpack "sides" to raise up the Riser a little bit. 

It really depends on:

Experiment for yourself.

The Backpacks are both 20" on the sides and 10" across the top and bottom 

The Riser top is 12" to make the Riser flex out a tiny bit and provide more stability.  

Configuration, Straps, Buckles, Belt 

The TOP is near the BLUE lights 

The top straps are cut to  length 13 inches 

The bottom straps are cut to length 20 inches 

Don't glue the corners on the Backpack until AFTER you've added the backpack straps to the top and bottom rails

For the belt, don't sew on the 2nd buckle until AFTER you feed the strap through the bottom rail - cut to desired length. 


Foam Core can get expensive but this is a good option 

For $65, this results in 100 boards! 

https://www.lowes.com/pd/Kingspan-Insulation-Common-0-25-in-x-4-ft-x-50-ft-Actual-0-25-in-x-4-ft-x-50-ft-1-R-1-Faced-Polystyrene-Foam-Board-Insulation/999972970 

Initially they're 2 ft wide by 4 ft long (50 in a pack) 

I cut the 4 ft board at the 28" mark (to hold a 22 by 28 poster board), so that leaves a 24" by 20" baby sign boards.

So that covers 50 SCOFAHs (25 big and 25 smaller) because each SCOFAH needs a front and back.

 Double the messages! There is a way to use each piece of foamboard for 2 messages (front and back) but they cannot be displayed at the same time - so they would need to be shown at different rallys and events. 

By duct-taping only the top of the boards together and using binder clips on the side to secure them around the Riser. 

Note: Make sure to glue (and/or boarder tape) the posters onto the foam-core with the top of the Message up near the tape so that when you turn it "inside out" both messages can be read right-side-up.  Pictures of this coming soon.  

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Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion...! 

Squeaking / Creaking Noise? Is your SCOFAH making noise? 

Sometimes if you're walking around a lot the risers will squeak - it's not a high-pitched squeak - it's a plastic creaking sound. If you lift the risers up a few inches, then set them down, the creak will often go away.

 
You can also try to pinch the risers into the backpack by wedging some paper around the riser tube into the backpack tube - thereby taking up the slack, i.e. removing the play that it causing the creaking. 

Hope that helps! 

SCOFAH                                       SCUBA 

 1.  Self                                             1.  Self

 2.  Clasping                                  2.  Contained 

3.  Overhead                                3.   Underwater 

4.  First Amendment               4.   Breathing 

5.  Holder                                       5.   Apparatus 


See how the First Amendment goes with Breathing?! 

We don't actually need to vote them all out - we just need to win a majority! 

Democratic Super majority could get us powerful Healthcare for All and much more!